Those in the hold could hear
every word that was said, and they almost held their breath, for the
slightest noise would betray them. After a while the officer got into
his boat again, saying he would send some men off to warp the vessel
into the castle dock, as the fuel was required by the garrison there.
As the barge was making its way towards the water-gate, it struck upon
a hidden obstruction in the river and began to leak rapidly. The
situation of those in the hold was now terrible, for in a few minutes
the water rose to their knees, and the choice seemed to be presented to
them of being drowned like rats there, or leaping overboard, in which
case they would be captured and hung without mercy. The boatmen plied
the pumps vigorously, and in a short time a party of Italian soldiers
arrived from the shore and towed the vessel into the inner harbour, and
made her fast close to the guard-house of the castle. A party of
labourers at once came on board and began to unload the turf; the need
of fuel both in the town and castle being great, for the weather had
been for some time bitterly cold.
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